Westport kept its very-long-shot playoff hopes alive on Tuesday, rallying for three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to trip up New Bedford 4-3 in American Legion Baseball Zone 9 action at Westport High School.

Desmond Sanders raked a game-winning two-run double and winning pitcher Jake Girard retired all five batters he faced. Post 145 (6-11) struck for its three runs after Post 1 (8-8) had broken away from a 1-1 tie with two runs in the top of the sixth.

The righthanded-hitting Sanders doubled to right-center off reliever Luc Sauve, whose side-arm motion can make him tough on righty hitters.

And Westport showed that sixth-inning spunk after blundering big time in the fifth inning when, after an infield single and bunt single produced first-and-a-second with no outs, New Bedford catcher Andrew Rapoza picked off the lead runner and NB sort-of starting pitcher Jac Carreiro picked off the other runner at first base.

“I didn’t want to be on the field at that point,” Westport coach Jay Pacheco said. “Knucklehead baseball at its best. I don’t think I’ve ever seen it happen in all my years of coaching. Just bonehead baseball, but at the same time, we come back and win the next inning after that happening. It shows we’ve got a little bit of heart and a little bit of fight left in us.”

Technically New Bedford’s starting pitcher, Tylor Arruda never threw a pitch after he was hit in the helmet by a Tim Rivet pitch in the top of the first inning. He lay on the ground for a minute or two. After getting to his feet and appearing interested in staying in the game, he was replaced by a pinchrunner and left the playing area.

Westport finished with five hits, the first four infield singles. Andrew Dessert was 2-for-3 and started the Westport sixth with a base hit. An error on Dylan Frizado’s fielder’s choice helped get the inning rolling.

Nate Maynard (RBI walk in first inning) sacrificed and Dessert scored on a wild pitch. Sauve then replaced Carreiro, and Sanders hammered a 1-1 pitch for his two-run double.

“I coached Luc (Sauve). And I know he comes from all over the place,” Pacheco said. “He throws the ball well, but it was a good job by Des ... He stayed on the ball.”

Rivet allowed five hits and hit three batters in his 5-1/3 innings. Girard, coming off a very tough outing last week, was perfect with three strikeouts, a ground out and a fly ball.

“He had the worst pitching performance he’s probably ever had in his life Wednesday,” Pacheco said. “And I said, ‘What’s going to turn him around? Throw him back out there and give him the opportunity.’ ... He’s a tough kid, did a good job, and got himself a W out of it.”

Page 2 of 2 - New Bedford stranded 10 runners, eight over the first three innings. Sauve was 2-for-3 and Rapoza knocked in two runs.